Mississippi leaders praise Sen. Cochran, 'quiet persuader'

Mississippi leaders praise Sen. Cochran, 'quiet persuader'

Mar. 06, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Reaction to the announcement by longtime Republican U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi that he will resign as of April 1:

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Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, Republican, on Twitter: "Today, one of Mississippi's greatest public servants shared with me his plans to retire. @SenThadCochran's service ushered in an era of unprecedented influence for our state and will benefit generations to come.

"He was a leader in Washington and a powerful advocate for every Mississippian. I will always be grateful to Sen. Cochran for his friendship and support during my time of service."

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U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss.: "Thad Cochran will go down as one of the greatest leaders in our state's history. He has been called the 'quiet persuader' for good reason. He commands respect through his tireless pursuit to help make Mississippi and our country a better, safer, more prosperous place to live. He has made us proud in so many ways. I wish my friend the best in retirement and thank him for a job well done."

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U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss.: "Through his service in the Navy and as a leader in Congress over the last 40 years, he has served as an expert decision maker who accomplished major victories during his tenure. I will certainly miss working with Sen. Cochran, but I know that serving in Congress is only a chapter in our lives. While Sen. Cochran will return to Mississippi, his legacy will reign in the halls of Congress forever."

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U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper, R-Miss.: "There is absolutely no one who has done more for the state of Mississippi than Sen. Thad Cochran. He will be missed not only here in our nation's capital, but also by his constituents across his state. He leaves an outstanding legacy of loyal dedication to his native state and to his country . standing up for our farmers, for industry and business, for our nation's military, and for our state's college and universities. He fought hard for Mississippi in the wake of devastating natural disasters, especially making sure Mississippi got her fair share to rebuild the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina."

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U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., on Twitter: "Sen. Cochran has worked hard for the state of Mississippi. He and his family are in my prayers, and I wish him well."

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Mississippi Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, Republican: "Sen. Cochran's service to our nation has made the lives of Mississippians better, and his support of our military has made America safer. He fought relentlessly for Mississippi from helping our farmers get their crops to market to fighting for our citizens after Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the state. He earned and maintained the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle even though he never shied away from a battle to protect his beloved state."

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Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, Republican: "There are no words to describe how important Sen. Cochran, a true gentleman and statesman, has been to Mississippi. While he leaves a lasting legacy in agriculture, defense, and Hurricane Katrina recovery, and a huge gap in Senate and national leadership, the citizens of Mississippi experience the largest vacuum in the loss of his public presence and influence on almost every aspect of our personal and political lives."

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Mississippi Democratic Party chairman Bobby Moak: "With news of Sen. Cochran's departure from the senate, we want to recognize his many years of dedicated service to our state. We also give him our thoughts and prayers with his ongoing health issues.

"As we look ahead to the special election, there is no doubt we will have some Democrats that step forward to answer the call to serve. I'm confident they will bring forward logical ideas and fresh thinking to the process that all Mississippians can endorse."